A levered transducer can produce relatively large sound for a small, thin acoustic transducer. A lever is driven by a motor to pivot up and down within a sealed enclosure. The end of the lever is attached to a rigid diaphragm, such as an acoustically radiating cone. The levered movement of the diaphragm causes changes in air pressure, which results in the production of sound. A surround element allows the diaphragm to move in a reciprocating manner relative to a fixed frame. The movement and unequal pressure between the enclosure and the ambient surrounding can cause the surround to buckle or change its effective radiating area as function of cone position, resulting in sound distortion.